I'll Always Have Time For You
by x-blaidd.drwg-x
Summary: A Rogan fic which takes place a year after the third XMen film, a few subplots but I don't want to give anything away. Will also have LoganMystique elements, praise and flames are always welcome.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** I'll Always Have Time For You  
**Author:** Mr. E  
**Pairing:** Logan/Rogue, Logan/Mystique  
**Rating:** T for language to begin with by may accelerate to M  
**Playlist:**  
Lonely Day - System of A Down  
The Ghost Woman and the Hunter - Lacuna Coil  
Spit It Out - IAMX  
(playlists will be updated as I find more stuff for anyone who is interested)  
**Credit:**  
Wood: for his awesome X-Men RP which rekindled my fanboy roots and brought me back to all that is good and Rogan  
The players of said RP: for just being so fucking awesome  
Glinda: for introducing me to Paramore and IAMX  
The playlist isn't really anything that helps with the fic just a collection of songs I picked up watching YouTube videos that put me in a Rogan state of mind.  
**Author Warning:** This X-Men fic is based on the films, not the comics.  
**Synopsis**: after the death of Jean Logan is still coping with himself, he has no where to go but the mansion and even then staying is still proving a challenge. Since Rogue lost Bobby to Kitty they've been spending more time together, consquently Logan develops feelings for Rogue. There's loads more but I don't want to give it all away, just enjoy damn it.

**Chapter One:**

It wasn't about boredom, boredom he could deal with, it was about his head. When things were silent and the house was dark Logan had no where to go but his own mind and that's where the problem was. How was one supposed to get on with a mind that would not silence? Or in reality would not open? In a way he was mildly grateful that the only thoughts swimming in his head were the events of the last four years, he could hardly imagine what other shit he would have had to deal with if he could properly remember who he was. Did he have a wife? Did they have kids? What kind of man was he? Logan knew what he was like with his short temper and inability to turn his back on a fight, but to say that summed him up was selling himself short. He sometimes wondered if he had any of those things what kind of woman would he have been married to? A push over? A ball buster? The former would bore him to tears and he could imagine himself rolling his eyes on a barcalounger as he flipped through the television, his fifth beer bottle poised at his lips. The latter he could imagine lots of arguments and lots of thrown doo-dads that women insist on keeping around the house but the sex would be hot, unless she was a frigid bitch as well in which case he was glad he couldn't remember.

The restless man rubbed his face as he shook his head. Oh if they could see him now, the mighty Wolverine tossing and turning over his ideal wife, that was one for the archives. Surrendering at last he tossed his comforter off of him, a frigid ice cold breeze swishing through his window just in time to allow his skin to feel as if it had been suffocating. Sitting straight up, swinging his bare feet onto the wood floor he sat slouched over, his hands over his face again he took a very large sigh. Fuck was he getting old. Allowing his one hand to fall to his side he let the other--the right one--run a hand through his hair as he left his room, all ready the faintest of sounds could be heard through the manor, by now he should not have been so foolish enough to believe that he would be alone at this hour. Making his way down the halls he passed doors that were cracked open, a boy playing game boy, another reading a book with a flashlight, a girl eating ice cream as she watched the snow fall outside her window, and finally--on the second floor--the sounds of two people making out like no one's business. This time he didn't just pass, he opened the door enough to stick his head through so the boy and girl gasped and jumped up, the girl had to be fourteen, the boy seventeen. Logan was just going to tell them to keep it down and use protection, but this was just ridiculous.

"What are you a cradle robber?!" He scoffed as he walked into the room and grabbed the boy by the collar, both were too flabbergasted to say anything except stammer incoherently. "You can come back in a year." He growled as he continued to drag the boy out of the room and shut the door behind them--the Justin Timberlake poster had been a dead give away that it was in fact the girl's room, bad move number two. He pointed a finger in the boy's face, "I'm going downstairs and you're going to your room, when I come back you wont be here right?"

"I--erm--uh---"

"_Right_?!"

"Yeah! Yes, yes sir."

"One year." He then warned as he held up the same index finger, "And next time have some balls and take her to your room that's just...not right." He scoffed as he shook his head and waited for the boy to walk defeated-ly back down the hall. And the hyprocrit of the year award goes to--drumroll please--Logan!

He shook his head at himself as he continued to make his way down into the kitchen. One would think that with winter freezing the grounds cold was the last thing anyone around here would want, but Logan preferred strange weather. Either bitter cold, beautifully sunny, or incredibly rainy and anything in between was a waste of time. But he should have known such trivial thoughts would not occupy him for long for once again the scenario of a few moments past resurfaced. The boy had only been three years older and when the girl was fifteen he would be eighteen, for some reason it wasn't a big deal. Say for example when he was twenty and she was seventeen people would gasp but the second she was eighteen everything would be all right again. It wasn't like his situation at all which was by comparison a hundred times worse. He didn't know how old he was. He could be forty or eighty, either one did not bode well for him for recently the object of Logan's affection was easily twenty years his junior if his age was the former--which he sincerely doubted it was--or sixty years if it was the latter. So he was either old enough to be her father or her grandfather, perfect, great, fucking amazing.

Logan wasn't the type to jump from woman to woman, at least he didn't think so. Before Jean he had never really looked twice at them as he had his own agenda but she had most certainly made him stop and pay attention. Marie was just a girl...maybe a little older than the girl in that room when he met her but to also say that she hadn't done something to him would be unfair. She was the first--and in many ways the only--girl to wait for him, Jean didn't, she had Scott. Looking back he felt so stupid, rushing back to the manor after being away for weeks or months to see Jean only to find Marie's smiling the face the first one upon entering.

_"She's still pretty taken with you..."  
"You can tell her my heart belongs to someone else."_

A part of him thinks he should have taken it and ran, but she was too young, _far_ too young especially then and the age gap hadn't changed just because she got older. So did he.

It was when he at last reached the kitchen--couldn't ever remember it being so far away before--that he took from it the refrigerator the coldest soda he could--two weeks old and sitting in the back behind the spoiled lasagna--he popped the top and took a large swig before placing himself on a stool, his hand once again returning to cradle his head as his thoughts swirled and spun around.

A month or two ago Logan came home to find Marie crying, she had every intention of being alone and he would have left her alone if concern hadn't slapped him across the face and before he could tell himself otherwise he called out her name, and her head had snapped up to his. It was from this moment that Logan's sleepness nights began, when he sat next to her on the window seat and she begged for him to ignore her as she hastily wiped away her tears.

"Come on kid, you can tell me." He smiled as he reached out and wiped another tear away.

"But it's so _stupid_! I just, I'm really sorry."

"For what?" he chuckled, "Should I be sorry? Did you key my bike or something?" and she laughed, and he continued to smile but she couldn't ignore the concern in his eyes and maybe just saying it out loud would help...

"Bobby broke up with me." She said to her lap, and then she forced a chuckle and shook her head, tilting her head back as if trying to get her tears back into her eyes.

"Oh kid I'm sorry..."

"I told you it's so stupid right?" She asked, once again wiping her tears away.

"No...no it isn't."

"Anyway I don't know why I'm bothering you with my stupid problems I mean you've got better things to do than to listen--"

"Hey." He said gently, but his voice was firm enough so that she stopped, and her eyes finally locked onto his, he shook his head, "I've always got time for you kid." The fact was if it was some other girl crying about being dumped whom Logan was trapped in a room with he could tell her to chin up, there were plenty of fish in the sea, point to a boy--attractiveness never a factor--and run for the door while her head was turned. But this was different, running a his fingers through her stark white hair his finger touched her cheek again and she smiled for him.

"Thanks Logan." She whispered, and she was in his arms he could smell her hair and feel her ear on his chest. He hadn't meant to hold her as tightly as he did, nor to stay as long as they stayed, but from that day on she was imprinted onto his very skin, like a modeling clay into a mold the way she leaned and fit so perfectly against him, the shape of her lips when she spoke, the elongation of her neck as it curved onto her collarbone which had been exposed by the sage blouse she'd been wearing...

He took another large gulp of his soda. Yeah, it was a hundred million times worse.

_Fin Chapter One_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** I'll Always Have Time For You  
**Author:** Mr. E  
**Pairing:** Logan/Marie, Logan/Mystique  
**Rating:** T but will be M very soon  
**Disclaimer:** The characters in this story do not belong to me they are the property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, and Fox Studios (I think)  
**Playlist:** All Around Me - Flyleaf  
**Author Notes:** Special thanks to my readers, reviewers, and my lovely new Beta Glinda who will be insuring all of my Americanisations are correct -grin-

I'd also like to warn that this chapter is a little shorter and geared mostly by dialogue but it worked easier this way. Hope you still enjoy it.

**Chapter Two**

**NOVEMBER - ONE MONTH PREVIOUSLY**

She shut her eyes tight, her mouth expelled a little moan as she stood slouched over her sink. Her grip was so tight it was making her knuckles white as she tried desperately to maintain her balance, but her head continued to spin out of control. It felt like electric jolts were running up her spine as her stomach did back flips and the blue eyes dared to turn up to the mirror. Her stark black hair began to melt away from the roots, turning a shocking orange, it seemed like a paint drop was spreading in her eyes as they turned black and then yellow, her skin folding backward like a lizard's million scales from fair with pink blush into the deepest royal blue. It was as these images came into focus that her mind gave one last final lurch and with it her knees gave out from under her as Mystique gasped, laughed, and cried.

She was finally free, having spent the last year trapped inside the brainless twit that was Raven Darkholme. A tall, leggy, and breathtaking woman Raven's head was constantly twittering about the trivial and mundane. Her ridiculous job as a secretary, her hair, her clothes, her looks, constantly fighting with herself for the desire to be who she truly was. What she truly was. As Mystique began to feel the strength in her limbs slowly return she felt Raven's clothes suffocating her. Ripping them off she almost cringed. That was a two thousand dollar Gucci top, who gave a shit? Running her hands over her arms, stomach, and legs she went across Raven's nauseating Ikea Furnished apartment to the full length mirror and examined herself.

_"What a shame...she was so beautiful."_

She shook her head. She'd deal with that soon enough, considering she was still in New York she had other business to tend with. A test to make sure she "still had it." Running a finger along the tiny vertical scar on her stomach she went to Raven's phone and dialled a number quickly, a chipper young women answered on the other end.

"Cartier Jewellers."

"Tell Mr. Wallace Raven wont be coming into work, she's dead."

"She's what?! Hello!? Hello!"

And with this Mystique hung up the phone.

**DECEMBER - PRESENT**

"I can't believe I'm stuck doing this shi-"

"Logan!"

"What?! Come on there are about a hundred other things I could do around here which are twice as useful but instead I'm stuck cleaning the damn attic."

"Well I'm cleaning it too, we're cleaning it together." She grinned.

"Yeah well...that's not so bad then." Logan half shrugged as he unburdened Marie of an oversized box, stacking it neatly atop the other neatly stacked boxes in the north east corner of the Xavier Manor Attic.

"Besides I don't really mind."

"You don't mind because you wont have to ever do this again." Logan scoffed in reply.

"True." She laughed, "But I dunno...I'm gonna miss this you know? Odd chores around the manor, the manor in itself..."

"Are you nervous?"

"Honestly?" She asked as she took another box and handed it to him, the chain between herself and the boxes had been going for the better half of two hours, and they were only half way done. But Marie hadn't been lying when she said she didn't mind, if she had been stuck with someone half as amusing maybe.

"No dishonestly in fact from now on anything you say to me must be a lie otherwise I wont believe a word you say." Again, more laughter.

"Yes and no. I'm nervous but I'm really excited you know? I haven't seen my parents since I came here and to be honest I didn't think they'd want anything to do with me-"

"Why would you think that?" Logan asked as he dropped the box in his hands.

"I dunno, I just picked up and left you know? No note, nothing." She replied with another light shrug.

Two weeks ago Marie had made what she considered the most important phone call of her entire life: she called her parents. She had expected to be yelled at, expected to be called a number of disgraceful names especially after they heard what she had to say. What she got instead was a mother who was crying so much she couldn't understand her, and her father's blessing to come home. They did however demand to know why she hadn't called almost five years sooner for they had filed a missing persons report and desperately wanted her home. Marie had one more week left at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters before she went out into the world.

"I think that's all the more reason for them to be thrilled to know you're okay." Marie only replied with a little grin. "Hey kid..." Logan's voice dropped into a serious tone, so Marie put down the box she was attempting to lift and turned to meet his gaze. "Tell me somethin'..._really_...why are you going? It's not because of Bobby and Kitty is it-"

"Oh God no!" She shook her head. "It's about me Logan..._I_ need this. You know," She then fiddled with the nail on her left hand, "a few months before I met you I was planning this great trip I was going to take after I got out of college. Like...a road trip or something where I got to see the whole country and go up to the Canadian Rockies and watch the sun come up...I can do that now...you know? Everything that I wanted I can have! There's nothing here for me any more." She sighed as she shook her head, "I'll just be taking up a room from someone else who needs it just like I did."

"No yeah that makes sense." Logan nodded once as he gave another half shrug. "Just makin' sure you've got your head on straight but dunno what I was so worried about."

"Why thank you-" She began as she took a step backward, but her leg faltered from under her.

"Hey watch it!" He cried, and before she could swing her arms out under her to break her fall Marie felt her wrist snap forward. She wasn't hurt, just stopped as his arms wrapped around her waist and Logan stepped in to catch her, her hands grabbing his shirt tightly as they both began to chuckle, turning backward at the box she had absently put down only moments before. "You okay kid?"

"Yeah I'm fine." She chuckled, "just freaked for a minute I guess." It was as she turned up to him, his eyes meeting hers that she realised he was looking at her so differently...she could feel her cheeks go a little pink as she stared right back not quite sure what to make of it. And then he spoke.

"Listen Marie I just...I want you to know that...no matter where you are, no matter what's wrong...you know where to find me. I'll always be there." He said with a small nod, and his hands...she could feel how rough they were through her blouse as they rested at the bottom of her back, her grip on him had loosened but she couldn't seem to bring her hands back. He wouldn't turn away, he wouldn't let go, she could feel his eyes on every bit of her face and she wondered what it was he thought he was seeing...it was as she was going to open her mouth to speak that another sound interrupted her.

"_ech-ehm_." Both Logan and Marie turned in unison to see Bobby, who was wearing a smug grin as his arms were crossed in front of his chest. "Hey Rogue phone call, it's your dad." He said as he jabbed a finger over his shoulder.

"Thanks Bobby." Marie smiled as she released herself from Logan and walked jogged past him, leaving Bobby still giving Logan that horrible look which made him both annoyed and uncomfortable. He busied himself with picking up another large box.

"You know...you're not fooling anyone." Came Bobby's voice.

"You know I always thought you were kinda smart Bobby, don't make me start changin' my mind."

"She wont be here for much longer-" Bobby's statement was cut off by the sound of Logan dropping his box and turning to glare at him, Bobby gulped a little.

"She's not your problem any more." Logan growled. With the last bit of courage Bobby had left he ventured one last statement before showing himself out.

"Soon she wont be yours either." By the time Logan turned again he was gone, and just as well for his own good.

Bobby made his way down the corridor, his hands in his pockets whistling a little tune when he heard them coming down the other end of the hall. Panicked for a moment he ducked into the nearest room and shut the door, pressed against the wall he left it open a crack to watch them pass. Bobby and Kitty were hand in hand with little Jimmy chattering at their side.

"Oh hey Bobby did you tell Rogue her dad's on the phone?" Jimmy asked.

"No but I saw her talking, Tinman must have told her for me remind me to thank him later." And with this comment they turned the corner and Mystique came from her hiding place. She tilted her head for a moment before taking the shape of another student, and continued on her way.

_Fin Chapter Two _


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** I'll Always Be There For You**  
Author:** Mr. E**  
Pairing:** Logan/Rogue, Logan/Mystique**  
Rating:** Will officially be changed to M in the next chapter**  
Playlist:** Unchanged (can't fix it if it ain't broke)**  
Disclaimer:** X-Men, the characters and places therein do not belong to me they are the property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, and Fox Films (I should really look into that)**  
Author's Note:** I've decided that the fic will only be four chapters long, I know to most that's not very long but the ending I have planned for you is perhaps the best one I could possibly give and there's no way to "drag it out." Besides I'd hate to just ramble on with nonsense and make my readers--or myself, let's just face it I have the attention span of a newborn--loose interest. I've written the final chapter all ready except I wrote it in a notebook while I was out so it should be up tonight hopefully as I'm typing it now, keep your eye on the horizon, the end is nigh.

**Chapter Three**

She sat comfortably, her legs propped up on a foot stool as her eyes gently flitted over the last paragraph of her book. She stopped, suddenly aware now that she was at the end, when her eyes reached the final word on this page this adventure would be over and she would be forced to find a new one. She marveled at the symbolism of it all, tomorrow she would be going back to Louisiana and weeks previously she had set a goal for herself: to read "War and Peace." Soon she would be back with her family, back to a "normal life," leaving behind the characters and adventures of this one. Securing her bookmark she shut the book, she wasn't ready to finish that chapter _just_ yet. Allowing her hands to run over the cover she stopped to examine them. She still was not entirely used to the sight of her exposed hands, after keeping them hidden for so long. She realised the middle finger of her left hand had a slight tilt, so the end leaned towards her ring finger, hmmm.

"Hey Rogue!" The voice was quickly followed by the feeling of someone falling into the seat on the sofa next to her, and mildly startled Marie turned up to Jimmy, also known as Leech, who was beaming widely at her. She hadn't known Jimmy as well as she'd liked mostly because he was a little closer to Kitty, a relationship she could understand considering she had helped save him, and then suddenly thought it funny that people continued to call her Rogue, even after requesting that she be called Marie. Thus far only Logan, Storm, and Beast had stopped calling her by her mutant handle.

"Hey Jimmy." She smiled back.

"I made you something." He continued to beam as he reached over the side of the couch and produced a drawing, Marie's eyes went wide in surprise. "It's the institute! See there's me, Bobby, Kitty, Storm, Beast, Warren, and there's Logan over there-" Jimmy then pointed to a loan figure leaning against a tree. "I drew it from a picture in Storm's office."

"Thank you Jimmy it's beautiful!" She grinned as she continued to examine it.

"So...um...why are you leaving? Is it because you're not a mutant anymore they wont let you stay?"

"No of course not! Storm said I could stay if I wanted to I just...I sort of want to see what's out there you know? Explore my horizons and--"

"Soil your wild oats?"

"Excuse me?" Marie suddenly laughed.

"I heard Logan and Storm talking about it. Logan said he didn't understand why you couldn't just reunite with your family and stay here, Storm said it was because you're young and independant and need to soil your wild outs. But that kinda confused me because we've got a garden." He nodded as he raised his eyebrows, so Maria only shook her head as she laughed. Fourteen or not Jimmy had spent most of his life sheltered in a lab, and while he confessed that he had been allowed to watch television and play video games his innocence could be seen from a mile away with that large grin.

"Thank you for my drawing Jimmy, I love it." She grinned as she kissed his head.

"You're welcome, don't forget to call okay?"

"I wont."

"Bye Rogue!" He waved before he jumped off the couch and ran in another direction. She glanced back down at the drawing but her eyes went immediately to Logan, standing alone with his same brooding expression he had in all four of the photos someone had managed to take of him. She then thought about how strangely distant he'd been acting lately, even towards her. He sometimes refused to speak to her all together and should she ever enter a public place where he was he would promptly leave. The last time they were together without a problem was a week ago when they were cleaning the attic and even then for a short while his actions had been a little erratic. Of course she knew he would be there when she truly needed him, but it had never occured to her to call back specifically to speak to him. To be honest Logan did not seem like an "on the phone" type and while she had every intention of sending her hellos and well wishes she couldn't wrap her head around having an actual conversation with him. So to hear from Jimmy that he was this worried about her departure was just filling her head with more turmoil and if she did not talk to him today it would never be resolved.

Taking her book and her drawing she returned to her room, placing them very carefully in her bag she double checked that everything was in it's place before straightening out. A small creek from the hall caused her to whip around but she saw no one.

"Hello?" She called gently as she stepped gingerly from her room, but besides the normal amount of students coming and going, there seemed to be no one there. Allowing it to pass from her mind she continued down the hall and up the stairs to Logan's room. More students past by smiling and waving until she reached his shut door and she paused. It seemed to grand and looming, so resolute that for a moment she hesitated to knock. The symbolism of a shut door, it was just going to keep going wasn't it? After five sharp raps his voice drawled lazily from inside:

"Come in."

Marie turned the knob as slowly as she could, slipping inside she shut the door behind her. Logan was sitting on his bed, his legs outstretched in front of him crossed at the ankles, and in his hands was a book. Of course Logan read, everyone read, she wasn't sure why she was so surprised by it and suddenly wondered what kind of books interested him. Maybe horror or mystery novels, Logan didn't seem the type for Westerns. But the moment he turned up to her his expression fell.

"Hey Logan." She said gently.

"What's going on kid?"

"I just...wanted to talk to you."

"What about?"

"Well I'm leaving tomorrow and you've been avoiding me--"

"Right because that sounds like something I'd do." He scoffed as he shut his book and rose from his place.

"I saw you in the TV Room yesterday, the second I walked in you left, you sent Beast to substitute for you in Boxing Class--"

"Didn't know you were still there--" He began to shrug.

"You know I am. Mutant or not every girl's gotta know how to defend herself right?" She said mildly quoting a conversation they had a year previously.

"Something like that yeah."

"What's going on here? I don't want to leave knowing we're never going to speak again." She offered a small smile, but he had not turned to meet her gaze since her initial entrance and was not busying himself with reshelving his book on the small bookshelf he had. Marie hadn't been in his room in years, she wondered when he installed it.

"You know I'll always--"

"Be there for me. I know." She nodded. "You keep saying that but lately you haven't been and...I could have used someone to talk to this week." She leaned against the door, he turned back to her at last.

"Why's that? I thought this was what you wanted?"

"It is what I want but it doesn't change that I'm really going to miss it here! I got in because I was a mutant but I'm not treated any differently because I'm not anymore. Out there...I dunno I don't think it'll be the same."

"Because it wont." He replied with a small snick sound. "The second you show the slightest bit of being different or unique you're out of the club."

"That's not fair--"

"It's true!"

"Not all the time--"

"Look around you!" He cried as he motioned for the door. "A third of the kids here are runaways! The other third kicked out, not counting the kids who are _lying_ to be here! Remember Bobby's family thought he was in prep school! He _still_ can't go home for Christmas and you're standing there saying you want to be apart of that life how can I not be disappointed?!"

"_You're_ disappointed?!"

He growled as he shook his head, rubbing his face he kept his hands together as he gestured with them outward.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" She demanded.

"I mean...you're special Marie, what you did to yourself--"

"What I did?!"

"Let me finish!" He growled. "What you did to yourself was for your own reasons and I wont even _pretend_ I understand them but being a mutant had nothing to do with what you special, but you're going to go out there and you're going to let them take it from you! Become one of those idiotic girls who have never had to struggle for a thing in their lives and can get by with a cute smile--"

"I'm not like that!" She cried over him.

"How far are you willing to go to make sure the life you think is out there stays that perfect!? You had a _gift_ and _they_ made you think something was wrong with you--"

"Something _was_ wrong with me!"

"There was never anything wrong!"

"This would have been perfect for _you_, you don't get close enough to anyone to care to touch them!" She cried again as she rose from her seat. "I want a life! A _real_ life and frankly I think I deserve it!"

"Why can't you have a life here?"

"Because there's nothing here for me--!"

"I'm here!" He shouted, and his words stabbed right through her so she stopped, her eyes wide as his expression softened and he moved across the room, one hand at her waist, the other hand cradling her face as he stared deep into her face like that day in the attic. "I'm here." He repeated. "I...I don't want you to go."

"Why?" she asked in a low voice.

"Because..." He sighed as he shut his eyes, "Just please Marie..."

"Because is not an answer Logan..."

"Because I love you!" He replied quickly as his eyes opened again. "I want you to stay...with me."

"I can't..." She sighed as she shook her head, taking a step back from his embrace. "I can't...think about this right now...this isn't fair."

"How is it not fair?" He asked, as he let her go.

"That wasn't enough of a reason for you to stay before...when I loved you."

"You had a school girl crush--"

"Because you knew _all_ about it didn't you?" She replied a strange tone as she ran her hands through her hair, "I'm sorry." She sighed as she opened the door and let herself out, she could feel him staring at her back, that horrible defeated expression on his face as she put her hand over her mouth, leaning against his door trying to think of something to do.

Logan leaned against the shut door, his arms extended as his palms pushed into the molding, his head bowed, he could see her figure lingering there for a moment and he silently prayed she would come back through the door, say something else, give him some sort of hope...but his ears picked up the sound of her shoes and her shadow disappeared leaving him with a cold feeling in his stomach and a taunting voice in the back of his mind.

She was right.

_Fin Chapter Three_


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** I'll Always Be There For You**  
Author:** Mr. E**  
Pairing:** Logan/Rogue, Logan/Mystique**  
Rating:** M for sexual content**  
Disclaimer:** X-Men, the characters and places therein do not belong to me they are the property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, and Fox Films (I should really look into that)**  
Author's Note: **It is the end, the end my friend the end  
Thanks for sticking with me.

**FINAL CHAPTER**

Logan sat at the edge of his bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his head in his hands as his eyes remained shut. The sun had long since set and he had not come out of his room all day, he just couldn't. If he had been afraid of loosing her before he had most certainly done it now and what was worse: he had no idea how to fix it. He had been racking his brains all day for a phrase, a statement, a gesture or sentiment to tell her to forget everything he'd said, to see him as she'd always had, but nothing came.

He managed to release one last sigh when his ears perked, he turned to see the knob of his door turning and he stared at it unbelieving. Marie slipped through the door in her cream night gown, shutting the door behind her silently she stepped forward and kneeled before him. He searched her face, still unable to speak as he caught her scent...there was something different. Her soap, her shampoo, her clothes, but there was something missing, he couldn't put his finger on it. Before he could open his mouth she pressed hers against his and he grabbed hold of her, pulling her closer.

"Marie I--"

"It's okay." She nodded before she kissed him again and they fell back onto his bed. Turning over she pulled her gown up around her hips, wrapping her legs around his waist he balanced on one hand as the other ran along the line of her neck, past her breasts, her side, locking her hips onto his as he kissed her neck and he felt her tiny hands crawl under his shirt, pulling it over his head. He pulled back a moment, searching her eyes as her hand touched his cheek and she nodded to his silent question. Shifting his weight onto his knees he took her nightgown in both hands and pulled it over her head, catching her mouth again he let his hands run over her skin, he kissed her neck as she lie back.

A part of Logan argued that he didn't need this, he would have been happy to have Rogue and never touch her, the other part reveled in the softness of her skin, the light pants which escaped her lips and understood why Marie made the decision she had. How could anyone have asked her to condemn herself to a life which would never feel passion like this? How could she or Bobby have contained themselves as long as they had if they felt a fraction of what Logan did? He wouldn't have. If it cost him everything he would have kissed her once, touched her just once, gone to the edge and leapt off than live forever without knowing.

It was as he passed her breasts and kissed her stomach that he felt her hands beckon him again to her, when they kissed she unzipped his jeans as her hand disappeared into the cloth and Logan slouched, it was his turn to gently pant as he bit her should and she freed him from his restraints.

"Please Logan." He didn't need to be asked twice. Undressing them both he felt her shiver as he ran his hand up the outside of her thigh, her lip caught in her teeth as she gazed up at him. "I've never done this before."

"I should imagine not." He grinned, which was met by a playful shove, he took her wrist and kissed the inside of it, that scent rising into his nostrils again...that scent he couldn't place...shaking these thoughts away he positioned them, lifting Marie's legs above his waist. "Just relax for me okay?" Easier said than done, the second he came close to her he felt her tense and inch away, a natural reaction. "Marie if you want to stop just say so."

"No, I want to."

"You're shaking."

"I'm cold." And kissing her again to relax her he finally pushed in, both moaned though Marie in discomfort, Logan of a different sort. His hands turned to fists crumpling his sheets as her nails dug into his back, he pulled out then in again but found that she didn't pull away this time, her hips gave an involuntary rock to catch him and a few more caresses before she had his rhythm completely, one of her hands sliding to the bottom of his back inviting him in deeper, the other resting on his shoulder.

He watched her neck, that line that taunted him months ago now exposed as sweat formed on her skin making her skin shine. For months that line separated his eyes from her skin and tormented him, returning in his dreams or worse in the middle of the day, or in the middle of class as he watched her spar. He ran his hand up the leg around him, the times he'd watched her kick he could see the muscles under her delicate figure contract, and her hands. Of all the things that had driven him mad Marie's hands and mouth had to he the worse. To watch the way her fingers gently slid over the walls of the mansion as she walked idly by, even the way she touched things had a different mannerism or meaning than anyone else. At dinner one night he watched her eat a slice of someone's birthday cake and her lips engulfed the fork so when she slid it from her mouth not a morsel of whip cream had been left upon it. Wanting that mouth again he kissed her, pushing in a fraction deeper her back arched and her head tossed back. Careful to stay he felt her legs wrap around him tighter as he kissed her collar bone, her nails were in his skin again as she moaned in his ear so Logan felt it in his stomach as well. His brain flipped itself upside down and before he could contain himself released his own moan and slumped onto her shoulder.

She was panting as she lie flat, desperately trying to get any cold she could from his sheets as he turned to his side beside her, the cool air from his open window swishing across both their chests.

"You okay?" He asked as he turned to her, she nodded her eyes still closed as she ran her hand through her hair. "Still cold?" He grinned.

"No." She chuckled gently, "but...my legs hurt." Logan nodded, of course they did. She turned to him, her eyes deep as she reached out a single finger to touch his arm.

"C'mere kid." He said gently and at once she moved into his arms, her hand on his chest so he kissed her hair and let his hands touch the skin of her bare back.

"Logan...can I stay here?"

"Yeah..."

He hadn't meant to allow his eyes to close, but the comfort of knowing she would be there when he woke up and the tiredness of his entire body lulled him into sleep as he felt her breathing gently against him...

He knew he was awake before his eyes were open and for a moment was afraid it was day time, and more importantly wondered what woke him. His side stung a little like when one receives a pinch and opening his eyes he found he was still in his room and it was still dark, still night time, the same night as a matter of fact, but there was something not right...he tried to move but found his arms struggle against something holding him in place. His eyes focused quickly to find himself not lying down but sitting straight up, his wrists handcuffed to his iron rod headboard as Marie was sitting on his lap, her head tilted so all her beautiful hair fell over her right shoulder.

"Marie what are you--" He began, but her face contorted into a twisted smile that scared him.

"Tell me you love me Logan." She said in a mocking tone and he searched her face desperately, inhaling deeply he realised...he could not smell. No scent of the trees outside, Marie, his sheets, himself, nothing, and the more his mind reeled the more amused Marie became until she leaned forward, inches away from his face she ran her tongue along his lips. The familiarity of her voice and the scent he had noticed when she entered tied together, and his heart broke. "Nobody leaves a scar quite like you."

"No..." He moaned as Marie pulled away to reveal the elegant figure of Mystique, her blue skin glowing in the moonlight. At once he tightened the muscles in his hand so his claws came shooting out, but with them came a pain so unbearable that Mystique covered his mouth as he turned his head to watch the blood trickling down his wrists, he stared back at her wide eyed as she revealed her hidden hand and waved a tiny syringe in his face. The cure, there were clinics all over New York and the Bronx giving out free doses of the cure. He didn't get another word out before she dropped it, picked up a dagger, and jammed it into his heart. Grinning at her handiwork for a moment she congratulated herself before making her exit through his open widow. Next stop: San Francisco.

Marie lie in bed, it was well past three am and she still couldn't sleep. She turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling wasn't helping as her mind insisted on going over the events of that afternoon. She would admit when she first met Logan he made her cheeks pink and her heart flutter, but even then she had thought it as nothing more than a crush. Likewise it never failed whenever he would come home again she was anxious to be the first in his arms, to place her hand in his to return his dog tags, the only time they touched except when he gave them back with his promise to return.

She said she wanted a life, a life with someone who loved her, Logan loved her. Her anticipation for leaving never wavered--she was scared to go--almost terrified. The people inside Xavier's Institute had always known what she was and would accept her no matter what path she chose, the people waiting for her in Louisiana had no clue and if Logan was right, if for any reason the cure did not last forever what was she willing to risk?

She needed to talk to him just one last time before making her decision and so she crept out of bed as silently as she could. Careful to avoid the creaking floorboards and up the stairs she pressed her ear against Logan's door, it was silent. If she was going to wake him she had to be careful, she wouldn't be able to borrow his powers again if she walked in on another nightmare. So like that afternoon she turned the knob as slowly as possibly, pressing her body against it she stopped dead at the sight of him. She wasn't even aware that she'd screamed, nor that she'd run to the bed, waking the other inhabitants of the floor so one by one doors opened and voices sounded in the hall.

"What's going on?!"

"I don't know I--" The voices stopped a Logan's door.

"Get Storm!" A boy shouted as a pair of feet went running down the other way. Marie flung herself onto the bed, grabbing a hold of the restraints she desperately pulled in vain, and when that didn't work she slammed on them with her fists.

"LOGAN!" She screamed, why was he bleeding? Why hadn't he healed yet?!

It's funny how a person dies; the body instantly accepts what has happened and begins to shut down, whereas the brain clings to every possible millisecond. Taking in every smell, every image, every emotion, physical touch, or sound it possibly can before slipping away. Logan could feel his mind slowly ebbing as the darkness in his eyes began to consume him. For the last things he would ever know was the feeling of Marie's arms around his shoulders her forehead pressed against his, and he could smell her sweet scent, intact without traces of suspicion as her tears fell onto his shoulders, her lips pressed against his ear.

"I love you Logan."

THE END


End file.
